Perfect books for reading to your child and even gifting to your kids' classroom library

Who doesn't love gifts? I don't know any teachers who wouldn't love to receive classroom resources they didn't have to pay for. And hey, what teacher doesn't love books?

As times have changed and our kids are learning and constantly adapting to new surroundings and environments around them, we want to teach them core principles and values of love and kindness, respect, compassion, understanding, and so much more. Especially as we can't control what the latest TikTok or next viral trend will bring, it is essential to instill positive and meaningful thoughts of acceptance and inclusion in children while they are young.

As a children's author and a former elementary school tutor, I have read many children's stories over the last 15 years and curated many books in my collection. Many books teach children a valuable lesson, and those are the best kind, and of course, we can always enjoy a silly nonsense story that brings a good laugh and fun story time, which can also be one of the best kinds too.

Representation matters, and showing diverse and disability-inclusive characters is very important. Four recommendations of children's books that are perfect for the classroom and for the beginning of the school year are:

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold. A story celebrating the community and embracing many different family backgrounds. A welcoming book that you can enjoy with little ones even outside of the school setting.

Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen. A story that all teachers will surely love and is a great read-aloud. A beautiful book that teaches students that their classmates are a part of their community and makes a great gift for teachers.

What If We Were All The Same! by C.M. Harris. A fun rhyming story perfect for the classrooms and reading at home. Vibrant illustrations highlighting animals, food, and people, showing how different everything is and how amazing those differences are! Great gift for elementary teachers and includes a bonus page with kid-friendly discussion questions.

Each of Us by Sarah Allison. It is a beautiful story about a group of friends learning from each other about their cultures. Focusing on friendship, it makes a lovely addition to any classroom, and the illustrations are gorgeous.